Digital Trends

The Future of DVD

The next step in DVD technology is high definition DVD or HD-DVD. Right now there are at least four different, non-compatible formats trying to make it to the top of the heap. If you are old enough to remember the VHS/Beta wars when video tape first came out that pales in comparison to what is happening with DVDs. The front runners so far are:

• HD-DVD-9:  uses a red 650 nm laser like current DVDs. Instead of the current MPEG-2 compression it will use a proprietary new codec. The ROM version is slated for 8.5 GB with a bit rate of 11 mps in contrast to the 10 mps of the current commercial DVD. Shorter films can be set to up to 1080i resolution
• Advanced Optical Disc (AOD): This employs a blue-ultraviolet laser in the 405 nm range and will hold up to 15 GB of data per side in ROM mode or 20 GB for a film. The same data depth (how deep the actual layer is) is still 0.6mm like current DVDs. The bit rate is 36 mps. It is being pushed by Toshiba and NEC.
• Blu-Ray: This format will hold up to 27 GB per side and has a data depth of 0.1mm. If the dual layer format takes hold you can potentially have up to 50 GB on a disc. This will provide about 10 hours of audio/video in standard definition and a bit rate of 4.7 mps. Again, a 407 nm laser is used.
• Blue-HD-DVD-1 and Blue-HD-DVD-2: These are formats similar to the Blu-Ray but are being explored by Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute. The ‘1' version uses a 0.6 mm data depth while the ‘2' has the tighter 01 mm. Both use a 405 nm laser.

One of the main concerns of all these new formats is to make them backward compatible to current DVD standards, this way your current collection of discs will not instantly become little more than coasters. The formats themselves are not compatible with each other so the industry, and the consumer, will have to make some decisions before any of these formats become popular. There is little doubt that RW versions of the top contenders will come out in the future making for even more variations, alterations and combinations to confuse the end user.

With all these choices it is best to consider what you expect from your DVD, whether it's for data storage or making your own home movies (remember there are copyright laws) choose wisely or at least go for the drive that supports the most formats currently available.

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